New Arrivals

At this time of year, many animals are giving birth, or laying eggs, and babies are everywhere!
At Beckton Lake, the first clutch of Canadian Goose chicks have hatched with 17 chicks! Mum and Dad are taking them around the park and dont seem to mind having the odd family photo.

The female Canada goose lays her eggs between March and June. She will lay between four to ten whitish eggs in a nest made of grass, reeds and moss and lined with down. The nests are usually on the ground near water. The female hatches the eggs and turns them over often to evenly heat them.

The male will guard the female and the nest and will call out a warning if danger approaches. It takes about a month for the eggs to hatch. The chicks break out of the shell with an egg tooth on the top of their bills. It may take them one to two days to completely break out of the shell. The chicks will fly when they are between 40 and 70 days old. Most Canada geese will mate for life.

Butterflies!!!

Everywhere you look this month, butterflies are coming out and enjoying the spring air.
The most common species found in Newham are the Large White (Pieris brassica), the Speckled wood (Parage algaria) and the beautifully colourful Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Large White (Pieris brassica)

 

Most common around vegetable gardens and allotments and feeds on Brassica species (Cabbages, Brussel Sprouts etc). Caterpillars are a mottled grey-green with black spots and short hairs.

 

Speckled wood (Parage algaria)

Photography by Kathleen Maddams

 

Ususally found in woodlands and shady hedgerows, and likes damp places. They feed on aphid honeydew and lay their eggs on Cocksfoot and Couch grasses. The caterpillar is yellow-green with light and dark stripes.

 

 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)

Photography by John Denton

 

Can be seen in gardens and other flowery places. It lays green eggs on nettle leaves. the caterpillar is dark, spiky and white speckled with yellow spots on its side.

 

 

Have you seen any other butterflies? Send in your pictures!